The news items, and then we'll get into the latest that we're hearing and what it all means:
NFL Network has reported the following:
- Patriots have requested permission to speak to Vikings WRs coach Keenan McCardell, who played for Bill Belichick with the Browns. Josina Anderson reports that interview will take place on Thursday.
- Patriots are interviewing TEs coach Nick Caley for the coordinator job today, a day after he interviewed for the same position with the Jets.
- Ian Rapoport reports on Bill O'Brien: "Bill O’Brien is certainly a prime candidate here. Most people believe he is the favorite to get the OC job… He has firmly established position as someone that many people inside the organization want back. Currently the Alabama OC, who is right now out recruiting.”
- Mike Reiss reports Adrian Klemm, Belichick's first draft pick with the Patriots, is being interviewed. He's currently the associate head coach/run-game coordinator/o-line coach at Oregon.
UPDATES 01.19.23
- Cardinals WRs coach Shawn Jefferson will be interviewed, per Anderson.
- Finally, the news we have been waiting for ... a day after recruiting for Alabama, the Patriots have interviewed Bill O'Brien, per Ian Rapoport.
What does this all mean? Are the Patriots done after this? What about the futures of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge?
BSJ ANALYSIS
McCardell obviously has a history with Belichick back to the Browns. Belichick sang his praises to the Globe back in 2005.
''I have so much respect for Keenan and I'm really proud to have coached him," Belichick said. ''I'm not saying that I developed his career or anything, I don't mean it that way, but I mean just what he brought as a player, his work ethic, his attitude . . . He's really a special guy."
...
''He really understands route techniques and has a very good understanding of the passing game and has great hands," Belichick said. ''So, wherever you throw the ball to, Keenan, he's going to catch it. It could be behind him, low, high . . . it doesn't really matter.
''He has one of those bodies that can twist and turn pretty fluidly. So he makes a lot of those catches look pretty easy, even though a lot of guys wouldn't be able to make them because they'd just be too stiff to get around."
McCardell has coached in the league since 2010, including with the Jaguars under Doug Marrone, who is a very close friend of O'Brien. He's only coached receivers. Would be a stretch for him to be a coordinator based on his history.
This could be legit, or this could be Belichick (or whoever is directing these interviews ... could be anyone, from the Krafts to Matt Groh) doing a solid for one of his former players by raising his profile. Not saying that's being done here, but it often happens in the NFL.
It's a bad look for the Patriots that Caley is interviewing for OC with other teams but not them. That almost had to happen just for appearances. The concern for his candidacy — and it could have been part of the reason why Belichick didn't promote him last year (in addition to the title/pay discussion) — is whether he is well-rounded enough to be an OC? Has he touched the QBs in New England, or did he just stay in his TE lane with the Patriots? Did he understand the entire offense, or did he just worry about doing the best job he could coaching his room?
As for O'Brien, especially the tidbit of him being out on the recruiting trail with Alabama, his contract runs through the end of next month. Still, that doesn't explain why he's involved in recruiting. If Nick Saban thought O'Brien was as good as gone, I'm not sure he would have him out there fronting the school to recruits. That could easily work against them if O'Brien does bolt to the Patriots. That doesn't mean O'Brien still can't leave, but it's definitely curious.
Yes, O'Brien is the favorite and many internally want this to happen for obvious reasons. But he hasn't had much contact with them as of this morning, and I have sources telling me it's not a fait accompli. Maybe I just have the wrong sources, or my sources are wrong. I just think there's a lot of work to do there, especially when it comes to convincing O'Brien that this is a good opportunity for him and his future.
If Jerod Mayo is now the in-house successor to Belichick (which can change), why would that be good for O'Brien's future? He would be looking at just being an OC in New England or waiting to move again to be a head coach elsewhere. Is that ideal for O'Brien's family, which is a big consideration for him in his next move?
What's the coaching staff look like? Is Belichick going to mandate the current staff stays in place? What about talent upgrades?
As for Patricia, there's talk around the team that Patricia could be gone completely. His Detroit contract is up and he needs a new one. Will the Krafts sign off on that?
And if Belichick is really serious about owning up to his mistakes and righting his wrongs with his players, the best signal to them and the best move would be to push Patricia and Judge completely out with an entirely new offensive coaching staff. The dysfunction there was off the charts — more than anything you've heard in our reports. A fresh start with an old voice (O'Brien) starting anew would be the best thing for all involved.
We'll have to see whether that happens.
NOW THE RACE IS ON FOR O'BRIEN
With Greg Roman being fired in Baltimore, the number of teams looking for OCs is now up to 10.
Hopefully this was just a case of this being in the bag all along, and the Patriots were just trying to make the search look legit. Still would have liked them to use the opportunity to talk to the best and brightest around the league, not just Belichick's Rolodex, but if the Patriots end up with O'Brien and a revamped offensive staff, I don't give a crap how they got there.